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Trail/ xc bike crank length

O

OCDH

Chimp
Feb 5, 2002
51
0
Orange County, CA
Ladies, I need some input on what size cranks you run on your trail and/or xc bikes. I recently built a new trail bike, and I put 175's on it on the advise of several guys. Well, the day came to ride my new bike, and something didn't feel right - pedaling felt "sticky" at the push points, and I couldn't push the same gears that I used on my old bike. After the second ride, my hamstrings and back were killing me! I kept telling myself that it was just me ( I have a really hard time adjusting to new bikes), but I think one of my problems is that the cranks are too long. I used to run 170's on my old, much heavier bike, and I just can't climb the same way on the new one. I just don't feel strong enough.

I would love to know what size cranks other women use. If it is all in my mind, I just need to get over it. Thanks!
 
Repack

Repack

Turbo Monkey
Nov 29, 2001
1,889
0
Boston Area
How tall are you/ what is your inseam? My gf is ~5'5" with a shortish inseam and rides 170mm. She knew that is what she needed and a professional fit confirmed it. 5mm doesn't seem like a lot, but its the circumfrence of the pedal circle that gets you.
 
O

OCDH

Chimp
Feb 5, 2002
51
0
Orange County, CA
Originally posted by Repack
How tall are you/ what is your inseam? My gf is ~5'5" with a shortish inseam and rides 170mm. She knew that is what she needed and a professional fit confirmed it. 5mm doesn't seem like a lot, but its the circumfrence of the pedal circle that gets you.
Click to expand...
I am 5'6". And yes 5mm seems like nothing, but when I am pedalling, it feels huge! It's funny, my bf told me that everyone runs 175's, that it is a standard xc thing. Anyone else running 175's?
 
DH Diva

DH Diva

Wonderwoman
Jun 12, 2002
1,808
1
OC-I'm 5'4" and run 165's on my XC bike and trail bike. 170's are just too long for these short legs!
 
grizgal

grizgal

Chimp
Dec 5, 2003
79
0
somerville
I'm 5'3" and run 170's on the trail bike and will be running 165's on the DH bike. I'm kinda short (yes, i admit it, i am short) so I don't know if this helps.
 
Freak

Freak

...............................................
Aug 15, 2001
3,728
0
Redmond, Washington
Holly,

I've seen you in person so I know how tall you are, and I think you should have stuck with the 170's. I'm fairly certain that Laura (Velocity Girl) is on 170's on her XC bike also, and she's about 5'7"
 
Snacks

Snacks

Turbo Monkey
Feb 20, 2003
3,523
0
GO! SEAHAWKS!
Originally posted by OCDH
Ladies, I need some input on what size cranks you run on your trail and/or xc bikes. I recently built a new trail bike, and I put 175's on it on the advise of several guys. Well, the day came to ride my new bike, and something didn't feel right - pedaling felt "sticky" at the push points, and I couldn't push the same gears that I used on my old bike. After the second ride, my hamstrings and back were killing me! I kept telling myself that it was just me ( I have a really hard time adjusting to new bikes), but I think one of my problems is that the cranks are too long. I used to run 170's on my old, much heavier bike, and I just can't climb the same way on the new one. I just don't feel strong enough.

I would love to know what size cranks other women use. If it is all in my mind, I just need to get over it. Thanks!
Click to expand...
I run 170's on my XC bike and trail bike. I feel great on both of them

I'm 5' 5" with a 29" inseem.
 
O

OCDH

Chimp
Feb 5, 2002
51
0
Orange County, CA
Thanks all for your replies! So it seems like a lot of us, except crazy single speeder dhjill, run shorter cranks on our bikes! I am trying to see if I can trade mine with my roommate, who wants to buy 175's. Hope that will solve all my problems:)
 
S

Shanks

Chimp
Jan 3, 2004
39
0
Ontario, Canada
I cant use a girlfriend figure here, but my mom needed shorter cranks due to her virtical chalanged-ness. She's got my old 165's on and can now pedal better, and turn better since the crank sway isnt as bad.
 
KPicha

KPicha

Velma
Aug 3, 2002
144
0
Northern, VA
WOw! what an interesting thread. I had never even thought about crank lengths so I went out to check mine, and lo and behold, I've got 175s! :eek: and I'm only 5'4"! My curiousity has been piqued now and i really want to try out 170s.

Have any of you changed your cranks on your own? I'm wondering how difficult it is. Time to bring out Mr. Zinn and his mtn. biking book. :)
 
rainbow_smoke

rainbow_smoke

Monkey
Sep 19, 2003
265
0
Bellingham, WA
ok I read this thread. asked the BF about mine 175... It is so funny how the littlest things we take for granted until someone brings it up. I am just under 5'2 so I DEFIINATLY need some smaller ones.

Thank everyone it makes sense now that I think about how hard it is to pedal my bike...
 
W

waterlilli

Chimp
Apr 4, 2003
17
0
I just went with shorter cranks (165) on my trail bike. My cross country bike has 170. I have only rode 2 times with the 165 and I like the shorter, but I am short. I read an article in MT Bike Action about crank lenth and it made me think that I needed shorter cranks, so I tried them.
 
W

waterlilli

Chimp
Apr 4, 2003
17
0
I have the XT cranks in the 165, I had to get a new tool of course because they are the intergrated bb. (I hate having to get new tools everytime I buy something)
 
bikebabe

bikebabe

Monkey
Jul 31, 2002
133
0
Maryland
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